


5 times Bucky didn't talk (and 1 time he did)

by kocuria



Series: Industrial Grade Softness Stucky [5]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Awkward Bucky Barnes, Awkward Flirting, Body Language, Bucky Barnes Feels, Bucky Barnes Flirts, Codependency, Domestic Fluff, Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Industrial grade softness, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Nonverbal Communication, POV Outsider, POV Sam Wilson, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Sam Wilson Is a Good Bro, Shy Bucky Barnes, Steve Rogers Feels, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-12
Updated: 2020-05-31
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:14:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23121574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kocuria/pseuds/kocuria
Summary: Bucky would turn to Steve and Steve somehow understands that what’s expectednowis softly reeling Bucky in for a hug, careful, always infinitely careful, like Bucky’s a precious thing that’s going to break at the slightest touch.It’s hard to rememberlegendary, most feared assassin of the centurywhen Steve holds Bucky gently, tucked between his open legs where he's sitting on the counter, Bucky’s face hidden in the crook of Steve’s neck.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Shuri, James "Bucky" Barnes & Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers & Sam Wilson
Series: Industrial Grade Softness Stucky [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1451560
Comments: 40
Kudos: 245





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> For prompt 159 of the [Happy Steve Bingo](https://happystevebingo.dreamwidth.org/306.html): non-verbal communication. This grew into a 5+1, cause, well, anything related to body language is my kryptonite.  
>   
> For readers just coming into the series here: stucky's been vaguely-kinda-maybe established as a relationship, as a sort of Schrödinger's cat type of thing.
> 
> Also: happy belated 103rd birthday, Bucky!  
>   
> Find me on [Tumblr](https://kocuria.tumblr.com/) or [Twitter!](https://twitter.com/kocuria)  
> 

* * *

* * *

The first time Sam notices it, they’re on their run - a small earpiece, black and inconspicuous, stuck in Steve’s ear. Contrary to what everyone believes, Steve takes to new tech like a fish to water, adapting a lot of the gizmos Shuri throws his way into both his daily life and the missions they run. So, seeing the earpiece, Sam assumes it’s some sort of emergency communicator - they don’t carry their phones with them on their runs, for obvious reasons, but that doesn’t mean the leader of the Avengers can just be unreachable for an hour every morning. The device is small enough to be overlooked if one isn’t paying close attention - small enough not to bother Steve when he’s sprinting his way around Central Park at a pace that frustrates even bikers.

It’s not unusual for Steve to be smiling while he runs, these days - since they got everyone back, since he started spending half his time in Wakanda visiting Barnes, since things finally evened out enough that Captain America’s presence stopped being requested at dozens of meetings and briefings every week. So, when Sam sees Steve grin, he just assumes it’s about lapping him yet again, especially since it’s followed by the customary “on your left” a moment later. But when he notices Steve, in the distance, outright bursting with laughter out of the blue? He damn well makes a mental note to bring it up… whenever he can catch his breath enough to have an actual conversation, that is.

“So, what’s with the giggles?” he asks, once they’re on their second cooldown lap, walking leisurely and enjoying the fact that they can actually talk about meaningless shit like weather and people they’re passing instead of the world ending and aliens invading.

“Giggles? Oh. A satirical podcast we’ve been listening to lately,” Steve answers, smiling at a little girl who’s stopped in the middle of a sidewalk and stares at him, starstruck.

“A podcast. Wait, we?” Steve gives him a look like the answer is obvious. “Right. Barnes. But, _we_? Are you on with him _right now_?!”

“Well, right now, no, cause I’m talking to you? He’s gone to bother Shuri about… something, dunno the specifics. Believe it or not, the concept of privacy is quite important to him.” They both cringe.

“Uh, yeah, I can see how that would be… yeah. So, you do this every time we’ve been out running?” 

Steve does have the decency to look sheepish at that. “I mean, I could stop? But, I get too in my head when I just run full-out without any background noise, so…” He fiddles with his dog tags, visible under his (not obscenely tight, for once) Tshirt, and Sam notices the outline of a single kimoyo bead that’s strung on the chain along with them. He waves a dismissive hand.

“Nah, man, whatever makes you feel better, I’m okay with. That’s some co-dependent shit you’ve got going on there, though, you know that, right?”

Steve shrugs. “It makes both of us feel safer when I’m over here, to hear each other.”

Sam has no real answer to that. There’s no textbook on how to deal with seeing the most important person in your life die right in front of your eyes, twice.

He does notice, after that, that Steve wears the earpiece everywhere - at the functions they’re all roped into, at strategy meetings, running errands - but he doesn’t really talk into it. He does fiddle with it, occasionally, presumably to mute it? But there’s not a lot of conversation going on. It’s like Steve said - they hear each other and that seems to be enough.

He’s at Steve’s, the spacious loft in an old river-front warehouse in Red Hook, when he notices the tablet on a counter in the kitchen, where Steve’s been puttering with a truly obscene amount of sandwiches they’re having for lunch. It’s set up so that the whole kitchen is in frame, and there’s a video call running, the screen showing Barnes doing his usual blanket cocoon act on a sofa in what Sam recognizes as Shuri's lab. Barnes’s bent over a holographic display of - a motorcycle? - with her, and, judging by the speed Shuri’s modifying the schematics with, giving her some sort of feedback on it. That’s not surprising - it’s well known that both Bucky and Steve have a thing for fast bikes, and their enhanced strength and reflexes let them ride beasts that a normal human wouldn’t really be able to handle. Bucky visibly grows excited, grabbing the holo display from Shuri to enlarge a part of the front wheel and point to something; his blankets fall from his shoulders as he gestures animatedly. 

The audio is turned way low, so that their rapid back and forth isn’t discernible - not to Sam’s ears, anyway - but it’s there, a low hum that makes one feel like they’re in the next room, not on another continent.

Steve turns from the fridge he’s been scouring for more cheese and notices Sam looking, follows his gaze to the small screen and grins widely, seeing Barnes laughing at something Shuri just said. Most of Steve’s smiles, Sam noticed, are somehow related to Barnes.

Barnes seems to sense he’s being watched - well, watched with more intent - and looks in the direction of the camera. He notices Steve and Sam staring at him and _blushes_ , then waves his metal hand, smiling shyly. He pushes a strand of hair behind his ear in the exact same flirtatious move Sam’s seen his sister do hundreds of times.

Steve _swoons_. There’s no other word for his smitten expression.

Sam rolls his eyes, grabs the plate with sandwiches, and exits the kitchen, waiting until he’s in the other room before he lets the indulgent smile show. He’s got a reputation to uphold here, goddammit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This thing is all plotted out, but not written yet - unlike my usual offerings. I had an urge to get it out of my system, so, here we go.
> 
> (go to [the Tumblr post](https://kocuria.tumblr.com/post/619667414220783616) for close-ups of the boys from the banner 🥰)


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Try as he might, he keeps thinking back to the guy who stomped on his car and ripped out his steering wheel. Yes, yes, he was brainwashed and not aware of his actions, _that’s not the point, Steven_. The fact is, Bucky’s able to dismantle a car with his bare hands. That’s not something that screams salted caramel oatmeal cookies and tomato basil soup.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is so tooth-rottingly fluffy. I actually can't believe I wrote this 😂 but the boys wanted it to happen, so who am I to say no to lovesick supersoldiers.  
>   
> (I blame the _Arrival_ sountrack that was playing. It makes me _feel_ things. Soft things.)

* * *

* * *

Bucky’s downright _domestic_ , is the thing.

This will never stop surprising Sam. Try as he might, he keeps thinking back to the guy who stomped on his car and ripped out his steering wheel. Yes, yes, he was brainwashed and not aware of his actions, _that’s not the point, Steven_. The fact is, Bucky’s able to dismantle a car with his bare hands. That’s not something that screams salted caramel oatmeal cookies and tomato basil soup.

Bucky does channel his Winter Soldier days when he murder struts into a kitchen - _any_ kitchen, he just stalks in like he owns the place and glares you into submission until you clear out. The end result is usually some of the best fucking home-made meals Sam’s had since his Nana died, so it’s worth enduring a little scowling and intimidation in his own home.

Since Sam’s flat is open-space, it’s easy to peek into Bucky’s bubble every so often. There’s usually too much going on around, what with Nat sprawled all over Sam’s lap and Clint wrestling Lucky on the floor, to fully pay attention to what Bucky’s actually _doing_ \- but Sam makes a point to look whenever Steve orbits into the kitchen, like Bucky’s the sun that he can’t help but gravitate towards.

Steve, of course, is the only person allowed - welcomed - while Bucky works his magic. Steve usually plops himself on one of the counters and sits there contentedly, sipping his sangria (usually disgustingly sweet, since _why would you drink that horrid dry thing, Nat, if you can have something that actually tastes good_ ) and watching Bucky like the lovesick puppy he is. Occasionally Bucky would hold his hand out and Steve always unerringly knows what he wants - be it a knife, a container of spice, an ingredient from the fridge. 

Or a kiss.

It’s really hard to keep up the jaded facade when he sees two centenarians - two of the most lethal people on the planet, no less - adorably, sickeningly in love. 

It’s always those little things. 

Bucky would look at Steve from under his eyelashes and Steve always, without fail, blushes and blinks like a teenager that doesn’t know what to do with himself. ( _Was Steve a virgin before this?_ Sam always wonders. _Is he still?_ Then he feels crude for it. Their affection is so sweet and genuine that reducing it to sex feels… wrong.)

Bucky would turn to Steve and Steve somehow understands that what’s expected _now_ is softly reeling Bucky in for a hug, careful, always infinitely careful, like Bucky’s a precious thing that’s going to break at the slightest touch. (It’s hard to remember _legendary, most feared assassin of the century_ when Steve holds Bucky softly, tucked between his open legs, Bucky’s face hidden in the crook of Steve’s neck. With anyone else, it’d make Sam heckle _get a room_ , but with them… All he does is smile at Steve, who smiles back with the most dopey expression Sam’s ever seen outside of a rom-com.)

Bucky would hold out his hand - metal or flesh, doesn’t really seem to matter - and Steve grabs it, brings it to cradle his cheek or brushes his lips softly against the knuckles. (Bucky is usually the one who blushes at that, which makes Steve grin mischievously, like he scored a point in this little game.)

Sometimes - sometimes, Bucky would come up to Steve, expectation clear on his face, and that’s when Steve smiles the widest and gently, chastely kisses Bucky’s forehead or the corner of his mouth. (Those are the ones that make Sam finally avert his eyes. It’s like staring into the sun - keeps you warm, but you can’t really look directly at it for too long without being blinded. The serum was supposed to amplify what’s already inside you - it’s obvious that emotions were heightened too, and the supersoldiers bleed delight all over the place.)

Watching them be happy - obviously, radiantly, deliriously happy - makes some tense and hardened part of himself finally loosen up a little, uncurl and tentatively wiggle in anticipation. Maybe… 

Maybe. Maybe one day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So between the new intense [collab with voxofthevoid](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23361448) and [Time is a Metaphor](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22069141) entering a humongous action sequence, I've been burning the candle on at least two ends 😅 BUT the goal is to start writing more or less regularly since the plot bunny farm is getting completely out of hand and needs to be culled.  
>   
> One of those bunnies is another series that's probably gonna happen soon - tentatively named in my head "the Winter drabbles" with split personality Bucky/Winter, probably similar style to Industrial Softness. We'll see what happens. Yes, I'm putting it here so I feel accountable and actually make it real 😁  
>   
> Also, go to chapter one and see the banner! I've finally started illustrating _my own works_ too! 🤣

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think! 🙃  
>   
>   
> 


End file.
